Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
MEASURED DOSE DISPENSER
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to dispensers for delivering doses of
pharmaceuticals and other medical treatments to people. Although
designed originally for humans, it can also be applied to animals, and is
particularly effective in treating domestic and farm animals.
Background Art
[0002] Provision of drugs and other medical treatments has been usually by
injection, pills, and nasal sprays; more recently transdermal patches have
been used to deliver a measured amount of the drug or other treatment
concerned. In this specification "treatment" includes pre-treatments of
persons to minimise their risk of reaction if subsequently exposed, for
example, to hazardous gases.
[0003] There remains, however, an issue in ensuring the accuracy of delivery
of
the drug or other treatment concerned in some circumstances, or in the
case of transdermal treatments with patches to ensure the patch continues
to adhere sufficiently to enable the drug or other treatment to cross the
skin barrier for a long enough time for the treatment to be effective.
[0004] A small number of drugs are available in spray-on formulations, but
these
require significant dexterity to apply and give very inconsistent doses due
to variation in the accuracy of the user, the distance of the spray from the
target and the number of times and force with which the nozzle is pressed.
Disclosure of Invention
[0005] According to the present invention a drug or medical treatment
dispenser
comprising a tube having a plurality of apertures to dispense treatment in
spray form towards the skin of a person or animal and a container
containing the drug or other medical treatment.
[0006] In one embodiment the drug or medical treatment dispenser comprises
one or more tubes mounted in a hoop, the tubes having a plurality of
apertures are disposed around the inside of the hoop and directing
treatment emerging from the tubes towards a body part placed within the
hoop.
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[0007] In one arrangement of such an embodiment, the drug or medical treatment
dispenser has a pair of tubes in which one of the pair of tubes is placed in
one half of the hoop and the other of the pair is placed in the other half of
the hoop.
[0008] In such a case the tubes may be closed at one of their ends. The tubes
may be inset into grooves in the hoop.
[0009] In another embodiment the hoop is formed as two arms, the arms each
having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal ends of the arms are
mounted on a pivot with a pair of tubes one mounted in each arm. The
tubes at the proximal end of the arms are connected to the outlet of a
pump and at each of the distal ends terminate with a nozzle, the nozzles
directing treatment to a body part placed between the nozzles.
[0010] Normally, but not essentially a spring tends to urge the distal ends of
the
arms to butt together.
[0011] In addition to the nozzles, the tubes may have a plurality of apertures
disposed around the inside of the hoop and directing treatment emerging
from the tubes towards a body part placed within the hoop.
[0012] The apertures may comprise plain holes, self-sealable slits or nozzles.
[0013] The treatment is pumped into the tubes from a pump connected directly
or
indirectly to a container containing the treatment. The pump may be
manually operated or electrically powered. Conveniently the hoop is
mounted on a base and the pump in the base. Additionally if the pump is
electrically driven a programmable chip may be incorporated in the circuit
to control the times of treatment, and to measure other parameters of the
treatment.
[0014] For field use dispenser the base is hand held, but otherwise it would
normally be table mounted. For field use the dispenser may be in the form
of a wand which is passed over a body part.
[0015] The invention enables the creation of a hospital or home based device
in
one instance or an ambulance or battlefield device in another which can
be passed over a wound and sprays on antiseptic, wound sealer etc.,
without the need for touch thus much reducing or eliminating the risk of
cross infection.
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[0016] A drug or medical treatment dispenser substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0017] The drug or other treatment container is normally a replaceable
cartridge
containing the drug or other medical treatment. Arthritis drugs, analgesic,
anti-inflammatory drug, wound sealant, antiseptic might be typical treatments
administered with this invention. More than one container may be provided
containing a series of treatments appropriate to a patient, the containers
being opened and closed selectively as the treatment progresses.
[0018] In one embodiment involving replaceable cartridges, the cartridges are
coded
with a coding unique to the treatment. The coding is used by the dispenser to
control the time and/or length of the treatment and/or the pressure of the
treatment in the tube(s).
[0018a] According to an embodiment, there is provided a drug or medical
treatment
dispenser for the transdermal treatment of a person or animal wherein the
dispenser comprises a hoop having at least one groove, said groove
containing at least one tube being connected at one end to a pump said
pump being connected to a container of treatment, the at least one tube
having one or more apertures to dispense treatment in spray form towards
the skin of a person or animal, the apertures being inwardly directed and
disposed around the inside of the hoop to direct spray treatment emerging
from the apertures onto a person's or animal's body part placed within the
hoop.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0019] In order that the invention may be more fully understood, examples of
the
invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:
[0020] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic side view in partial section a simple
dispenser
according to the invention;
[0021] Figures 2A and 2B show perspective views of a pumped dispenser
according
to the invention;
[0022] Figure 2C is a section on the line A-A' of figure 2A;
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-23
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[0023] Figure 2D is a schematic view of the dispenser of figures 2A and 2B
partially
sectioned on the line B-B' of figure 2A;
[0024] and
[0025] Figure 3 is similar to figure 2D but illustrates a further development
of the
pumped dispenser shown in figures 2A to 2D.
Detailed description of some examples of the invention
[0026] In figure 1 the drug or medical treatment dispenser 1 comprises a
continuous
hollow hoop 2 having a plurality of inwardly directed apertures in the form of
spray nozzles 4 which may be directed towards the skin of a person, joined to
a cartridge 5 containing the drug or other medical treatment is placed. Any
spray emerging from nozzles 4 would fall on
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anything placed within the hoop. In practice this would be a finger, toe,
arm or leg, or some other limb of a body of a person or animal.
[0027] The diameter of the hoop 2 is determined by the part of the body which
it
is intended to treat.
[0028] The hoop 2 in this case is a continuous loop with a junction 3 to a
tube 6
connected to a cartridge 5.
[0029] The spray nozzles 4 can be covered or closed selectively to allow for
particular spray patterns to be imparted.
[0030] The cartridge 5 is mounted within a handle 7 which is screwed to the
outside of junction 3.The end of cartridge 5 opposite tube 6 has a cap 8
sealed to the cartridge 5, and has an external thread 9 enabling the
cartridge to be screwed into handle 7. The tube 6 is sealed against
junction 3 with an 0-ring seal 12.
[0031] A plunger 10 within tube 6 is connected to rod 11 extending through the
cartridge 5 to an actuator 14 within cap 8. A drug or any other treatment in
container 5 is under pressure from a propellant, such than when actuator
14 moves rod 11 away from junction 3, the plunger 10 releases the
content of the container into hoop 2 and thus through nozzles 4 onto
anything within the hoop 2.
[0032] Cartridge 5 is replaceable.
[0033] In one arrangement the cartridge can be compartmented lengthways with
different treatments in different compartments, each with their own plunger
and control rod 11 to open and close the compartments to junction 3.
[0034] Alternatively a plurality of junctions 3 can be provided each joined
separately to a cartridge and each cartridge containing a separate
treatment.
[0035] The dispenser shown in figure 1 may be hand held or mounted in a stand.
[0036] In figure 2 a dispenser 20 according to the invention comprises a
circular
hoop 21 of stainless steel, plastic or like material suitable for medical use.
The hoop has an internal groove 22, in which is set a tube 23 made of
silicon rubber or like material suitable for medical use. Separate tubes 23
extended around the inside of the left hand side of the hoop 21 and the
right hand side of the hoop 21 as seen in figure 2. One end 24 of the each
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of the tubes 23 is joined to a manifold 25 mounted in a hollow base 26, the
other ends 27 of the tubes are closed. The tubes have a plurality of
apertures in the form of self-sealing slits 28 from which any fluid in the
tubes under pressure is expelled as a spray 29. The hoop itself is mounted
on the base 26. The tubes 23 are held in place at the top and bottom of
the hoop 21 by plates 30. Manifold 25 is connected to the outlet 33 of an
electric pump 31 mounted in the base 26. A cartridge 32 containing drugs
of interest for the treatment of a particular patient is mounted though the
top of the base 26, with its outlet nozzle connected to an upstanding nipple
34 on a cartridge mounting 35. The bottom of the base 26 is closed by a
base plate 36. The cartridge mounting 35 is mounted on the base plate 36.
A fluid connection 37 is provided in the cartridge base to a pump
connector 38 also upstanding from the cartridge mounting 35. A short
length of tube 39 of silicon rubber or like material suitable for medical use
connects the pump connector 38 to the pump inlet 40.
[0037] Cartridge 32 is replaceable and may be subdivided to provide two or
more
different treatments.
[0038] The pump is powered from a battery or mains source 41 through a switch
42. The switch 42 can be operated through an aperture 43 in the base
plate. However, the switch in some arrangements may more conveniently
be placed on the side of the base. Optionally the aperture 43 may house a
flexible rubber cover which allows the switch 42 to be operated but which
keeps dirt and moisture away from the inside of the base. Optionally a
programmable chip 44 may be included in association with the switch 42;
the chip may be programmed to limit the period in which the motor is
switched on and to prevent operation of the pump 31 for a pre-set period
following previous operation. The programmable chip may also be
programmed to vary the pump pressure (and thus the density and spread
of any spray ejected through the self-sealing slits 28.
[0039] In operation, a patient places a part of the body, say, an arm, wrist,
hand,
leg, ankle, foot etc., within the hoop 21. When the pump is activated by
turning on the switch or operation of some other suitable activation device
42, a treatment contained in cartridge 32 is pumped by pump 31 into each
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of the tubes 23 around the hoop 21. The pump pressure in the tubes 23
forces liquid treatment through the self-sealing slits 28 as a spray 26 onto
the patient's body part being treated.
[0040] Although developed for application to humans, there is no reason in
principle why the apparatus should not be used to treat other animals in a
similar way.
[0041] The devices of figures 1 and 2A to 2D have a limitation in that the
size of
the body part to be treated is limited by the diameter of the hoop 2 or 21
respectively.
[0042] The device in figure 3 overcomes this restriction. The arrangements
pumping arrangements are the same as in figure 2 and are not described
again. In figure 3, the hoop 21 is formed of two semi-circular arms 47 and
48 pivoted at pivot 45 together at the lower ends of the arms (the proximal
ends 46), and in the closed position butting at the other extremities of the
their arms (the distal ends 49) the base has a slot 50 to enable the arms
47 and 48 to open and close. Optionally there is a spring 51 associated
with the pivot 45, urging the arms to close together at the distal ends 49.
The ends 27 of the tubes 23, where the arms 47 and 48 butt terminate with
nozzles 52 in this case. Optionally, in this configuration the self-sealing
slits 28 in tubes 23 are omitted.
[0043] In the arrangement of figure 3, the arms 47 and 48 are opened and a
body
part inserted between their distal ends 49. The body part can be
substantially larger, such a thigh, chest or shoulder than could be inserted
in hoop 21 of figure 2. With the pump 31 on, and a cartridge 32 containing
treatment in place on the cartridge mounting 35, treatment will be sprayed
onto the body part concerned through the nozzles 52. If the pressure of
the pump 31 is varied, the density, spread and range of the spray
emerging from nozzles 52 can be changed.
[0044] The skilled person will be able readily to identify possible
alternative
configurations for the cartridge mounting and/or pump for this invention. In
one very simple alternative configuration, rather than a hoop, the
dispenser comprises a simple straight or hooked wand with the nozzles
being directed towards the patient. The hoops or arms need not be circular
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or semi-circular, and could be square, elliptical or any other suitable
shape.
[0045] The presence of a programmable chip 44, enables more sophisticated
monitoring to include not only the passage of time since a treatment, but
recording, for example, of the times of treatment, to enable medical
professionals to monitor whether the patient is regularly undertaking the
treatments, it could go further and set off a reminder or an alarm if a
pre-programmed treatment is missed, for example. The alarm can be local
to the patient, or remote at control centre, a medical centre or hospital.
The chip can be programed to dispense different amounts of treatment to
different patients or to operate different treatment regimes for different
patients; the patient being identified by use of different switches, or input
codes or other recognition system. An IR lamp and detector, other motion
sensor, may be incorporated to prevent the system from operating unless
a body part was present in the hoop, or between the distal ends of the
arms 47 and 48 of figure 3.
[0046] In the drawings, a battery 41 is used, this could be a long life
conventional
battery of a rechargeable battery such as an Li-ion battery; or the battery
replaced by a mains supply stepped down to a safe voltage by a
transformer, with a rechargeable battery back-up ¨ for many domestic
applications this may be the preferred option as it avoids loss of power as
a result of batteries being discharged. For field operations this would not
be practicable and battery power would be used.
[0047] A drug or medical treatment as described can be provided with an
automatic dispensing system on detection of a body part. Furthermore or
as an alternative such a drug or medical treatment dispenser can be
provided with an automatic detection system to identify that a body part
inserted was the correct body part of the correct patient, preventing
activation unless the correct body part of the correct patient was inserted.
Such systems could use patient recognition control, for example, by eye
recognition, fingerprint recognition or RFID tag, and/or the device could
gather and hold calibration data (using infra-red, ultrasound or laser) to
know the body part inserted was indeed the correct part of the correct
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patient to prevent wrongful administration. Further it can ensure that the
patient behaved correctly and did not avoid treatment by inserting another
object into the device. Such a pattern recognition device could also be
deployed to prevent treatment of the wrong part of the body.
[0048] It can be seen that the device is easy to use for arthritis and other
sufferers with limited movement - they simply slip in the finger, wrist etc.
into the hoop and a measured dose of pain killer or anti-arthritis treatment
is administered via the skin.
[0049] In the examples, apertures in the form of both nozzles and self-sealing
slit
have been described. It would also be possible to use apertures in the
form of holes in hoop 5 and tubes 23, although these may be prone to
leakage. In the tubes 23 nozzles can be used instead of the self-sealing
slits, similarly in hoop 5 self-sealing slits could be used instead of
nozzles.
[0050] Examples of applications of the device include spray treatments of
arthritis, burns, venous ulcers, chronic wounds/ infections, eczema and
other exfoliating conditions, and in trauma, eradication of MRSA from
patients and ward staff/visitors, and disinfection. It can also be used for
spray on wound sealing and dressings. A particular use is in treatment or
applying temporary spray on dressings to patients in emergency
evacuations.
[0051] The range of products that may be applied using the device includes,
disinfectant/cleaning agents (such as iodine), medicinal agents (e.g.
coagulants, repair stimulants, antibiotics, analgesics, anti-inflammatory
agents), protective layers (to protect wound from air/infection/abrasion, to
prevent loss of body fluids and loss of drugs), Immobilisers (e.g. plaster or
polymer).
[0052] In some embodiments, each different product can carry a coding such
that
the spray device will apply the product in the appropriate dose and with
appropriate pressure and spread of the jet. As an example a bar code may
be applied to the cartridge 32 (figures 2D or 3) containing the treatment
and read by a decoder mounted on the base 36 (figures 2D or 3). The
programmable chip 44 reader will take the output of the decoder and adapt
the treatment regime in accordance with the coding on the cartridge 32.
